New Studio
Mobile games company Digital Dunes launches in Media City Qatar
The company says it will bring Arabic content and culture to the world through its projects
Five New Games
New release roundup: Neko Atsume 2, Blossom Tales 2, Political Party Frenzy, and more
We highlight five new games that have broken cover over the past week
Incredible Indies
Incredible Indies: Cowleyfornia Studios on being a BAFTA nominee and developing Iron Roads
Marina Sciberras and Duncan Steele discuss their journey as indie developers
New Offerings
JetBrains launches free non-commercial licenses for WebStorm and Rider IDEs
Developers can use the IDEs for learning, open-source project development, content creation and hobby development.
Games, Everwhere
Everything is a games platform
Discord, LinkedIn, Telegram - everyone wants in on gaming
New Studio
3OGS rebrands to The OGs as it opens new office in Córdoba
The tech firm aims to expand its operations globally following its acquisition by OV Entertainment in June
Loot Box Laws
EA victorious after Austrian court rules that FIFA 23 loot boxes are not gambling
The court said that the player did not acquire FIFA Ultimate Team packs with the intent to profit
Gaming Trends
Games industry M&A activity hits $2.5 billion in Q3 2024
M&A activity in games has grown for the fourth consecutive quarter
Developer Tools
Unity's Supersonic launches new AI-powered Game Idea Generator
The tool will generate and refine game ideas to provide key building blocks and initial code for development on the Unity engine
Funding News
Party Icons lands $9 million in seed for mobile-first web3 games
The company plans to develop its web3-enabled functionalities and expand into key markets by 2025
New From Ncsoft
NCSoft to establish four new subsidiaries developing games and researching AI
The corporate split-off was approved during a board meeting but awaits green light from shareholders
Emotional Arousal Explained
How the deconstruction of fun works in mobile games
How Sensemitter brings together neuroscience, behavioural and emotional analysis to measure and improve player engagement
New Marketplace
Epic Games' new unified marketplace Fab is now live
Fab is successor to the Unreal Engine Marketplace and Sketchfab Store
Cancellation
Ubisoft cancels mobile game Gwen’s Getaway
The game had been in development for some years and soft launched in 2023
New Offerings
Apple is developing a new iOS games hub similar to the App Store
The app will display challenges, leaderboards, and achievements, featuring games from both the App Store and Apple Arcade
Negotiations Underway
Negotiations resume as over 120 games sign SAG-AFTRA's interim contracts
“We’ve had over 120 contracts signed and there’s no sign of things slowing down."
World Number One
Gamelight recognised as #1 rewarded source in latest AppsFlyer Performance Index
AI-powered UA specialist Gamelight has been named the number one rewarded source - globally - in the latest AppsFlyer Performance Index
Holidays Ahoy
Over 35% will play more mobile games during holiday season, with Gen X screen time to outdo Gen Z
Unity’s new US-based survey finds who’s playing, who’s spending, and who’s watching ads this Christmas
Marvel Milestone
Marvel Snap surpasses $275 million as it celebrates second anniversary
Mobile revenue dropped by 40% in year two, but movie releases may be changing its fortunes…
Women In Games
From SEGA to Pocket Gems: Julie Dragland’s decade-long journey forging industry partnerships
As part of its Women In Games series, Liftoff invites Julie Dragland, Director of Partnerships & Business Development at Pocket Gems to discuss her achievements, challenges & aspirations
Cook Curses Commission
Donald Trump claims Apple CEO Tim Cook complained to him about multi-billion dollar EU fines
The former US president shared his conversation with Cook on the PBD podcast
Studio Closure
PopReach Games closes Vancouver studio
Owner Ionik noted the sale of its games business by the end of Q2, but the division's status is unclear
Studio Shuttering
Netflix closes 'triple-A' studio Team Blue and cuts ties with senior hires
Big-name hires Chacko Sonny, Joesph Staten and Rafael Grassetti have all departed from the studio
Live Streaming
Noice expands beta to UK and EU as it offers financial stake with new monetisation tools
The platform provides a 70/30 revenue split and allows creators to sell virtual items increasing their earnings potential
Call For Speakers
Share the stage with the best in games submit your talk for Pocket Gamer Connects London 2025
Here Comes Halloween
Halloween hijinks get underway in Monopoly Go, Pokémon Sleep, Marvel Snap and more
Many developers are going spooky this month with tricks, treats and more planned for the days ahead…
Tiktok's Terrific Tools
How TikTok’s LiveOps program is elevating mobile game engagement
Discover how TikTok’s LiveOps program can help you boost player engagement, retention, and in-game success.
Podcast | Episode 33
Destiny: Rising heads to mobile and Unity's charm offensive | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and and what's inside this week's episode 33...
New Offerings
Ampverse Group launches new marketing agency to connect brands with gamers
Brands can engage with games and entertainment communities across Southeast Asia, India and the MENA region
Legal Proceedings
Google wins temporary reprieve in legal showdown with Epic Games
Epic says Google is using “fearmongering" and “unsubstantiated security threats" to maintain control over Android devices
Hot Five
Hot Five: Supercell’s first CMO departs, Unity 6 goes back to basics, and Azra Games raises $42.7 million
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Week That Was
The M&A roll-up strategy claims another victim, Destiny: Rising comes to mobile, and the Game Freak leak | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
New Games
New release roundup: Age of Empires: Mobile, Pocket Necromancer, Battle Cars, and more
We highlight six new games that have broken cover and are all set to do big business
New Offerings
Free Fire to introduce baby hippo Moo Deng as in-game collectible next month
The move is a partnership with the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand
New Partnerships
Hitseeker partners with ByteBrew to help game developers make data-driven decisions
Game studios and developers can get insights into player engagement and monetisation
Unity 6 Unveiled
Unity 6 goes live: Under the hood of the game engine's latest AI, web and mobile tools
We sit down with Unity VP of product Ryan Ellis to talk everything Unity 6, the Runtime Fee and more
Under Redevelopment
Plants vs. Zombies 3 undergoing "major overhaul" as it goes offline
Players have one month to play the game before the servers go down completely in mid November
Incredible Indies
Incredible Indies: Max Inferno on bringing A Little to the Left to mobile and the "deflating" experience of copycats
Co-director Lukas Steinman discusses bringing the hit PC and console game to mobile and how the team deals with copycats
Funding News
AI-powered player feedback platform Live Aware Labs lands $4.8 million investment
The platform helps game developers capture, analyse, and act on player experiences in real-time
New Offerings
NetEase and Marvel Games to launch new RPG mobile Game Marvel Mystic Mayhem
Prepare to peek into the “deepest fears" of Captain America, Moon Knight, Scarlet Witch
Industry Spotlight
Jobs in Games: UMX Studio's Ammar Yasser Alrashoudi on how to get a career as game director
In our Jobs in Games series we highlight the talented team members currently working in the games industry
New Partnerships
Xsolla and Uzbekistan's IT Park sign deal to open game development academy in 2025
The academy will focus on training local talent and fostering new opportunities for game production
Social Superfans
Windwalk raises $4.5 million and launches "superfan" social software platform Harbor
Harbor is a hub for superfans in games, music and more
Getting Gritty
Ex-Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes GM on raising $42m and building the fourth generation of mobile RPGs at Azra
Project Legends is veering away from the prevalent anime aesthetic and aiming for a Western audience
Overwatch Ahead
Report: Overwatch Mobile is in development
Blizzard Entertainment has yet to officially confirm the title, but staff claim it's in the works
Phenomenal Funding
Azra Games raises major $42.7 million in Series A to create a mobile RPG for Western audiences
Project Legends is harkening back to 70s fantasy media like Conan the Barbarian
Don't Panic!
The Hitchhiking Developer’s Guide to The Alternative App Galaxy
Navigating Your Alternative Options On the Heels of A Historic Ruling
Massive Breach
Game Freak hack exposes employee information and source code in major security breach
Over 2,600 items containing the names and email addresses of current, former and contract employees were accessed
Mobile Growth
Southeast Asia's mobile game downloads hit 4.2 billion in 2024
Simulation games became the most downloaded mobile game genre in Southeast Asia this year
Earnings Impact
Niko Partners: Genshin Impact surpasses $5 billion on mobile in China
HoYoverse’s flagship is projected to reach $10 billion on mobile globally next year